The present invention relates to a fishing reel of a double bearing type which enables comfortable, smooth and natural operation by properly locating a handle, a clutch mechanism or the like.
Conventionally, a fishing reel of a double bearing type, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Kokoku Publication No. sho. 57-22541, is structured such that a spool supported rotatably between the two side plates of a reel main body is rotated for taking up a fishline by a handle. The handle is supported by one of the side plates and disposed at a location forwardly of the spool (that is, it is supported by a portion of the side plate on the fishline play-out direction side with respect to the spool).
However, in the above-mentioned conventional fishing reel of a double bearing type, since the handle for fishline take-up operation is mounted on the portion of the side plate that is situated forwardly of the spool shaft, there are still left the following problems to be solved:
That is, (1) since the position of the handle is remote from the body of an angler holding the reel by one hand while operating the handle by the other hand to take up a fishline, the arm of the angler is forcibly opened from the side of the angler's body, which makes it difficult to perform the stably fishline take-up operation of the handle;
(2) since an adjusting knob for pressure contact with the end portion of the spool shaft is disposed in the rear of the handle, the adjusting knob cannot be operated or rotated easily with the tip of the finger of one hand holding the reel; and,
(3) in casting, if the reel is held in such a manner that the thumbing operation for the spool can be performed immediately, because the handle and drive gear are disposed in front of the spool shaft, the center of gravity of the reel lies in front of the position of the hand holding the reel. Due to this, the angler feels the reel heavy and thus is forced to hold the reel with a strong force, so that the reel is difficult to hold as well as the fishing rod and reel are difficult to swing.
In Japanese Utility Model Kokoku Publication No. Sho. 57-14605, Japanese Utility Model Kokoku Publication No. Sho. 59-15896 and the like, there is disclosed a fishing reel of a double bearing type including a clutch mechanism for switching a spool between a fishline take-up state and a fishline play-out state.
In either of the reels disclosed in the above publications '605 and '896, a handle shaft is disposed on the front side with respect to a spool shaft, and a switch-over element forming the clutch mechanism for switching the spool between the fishline take-up and play-out states is rotatably or slidably disposed on the side plate having the handle and located backwardly of the spool shaft.
When operating the handle, while the reel mounted on a fishing rod is being held by one hand in a thumbing operation allowable state, and the handle is held by the other hand.
In this case, however, if the reel is held by one hand in the thumbing operation allowable state, since the spool shaft is situated in the rear of the handle shaft, the reel cannot be operated in such a manner that the whole reel is held by one hand, and thus the reel cannot be held stably.
Also, in casting, when the switch-over element is operated to thereby switch the spool from the fishline take-up state over to the fishline play-out state, the other hand is detached from the handle in order to operate the switchover element.
When fighting against a fish as well, since the switching operation of the switch-over element and the rotational operation of the handle are performed by the movement of the other hand, a series of operations cannot be performed continuously, quickly and easily.
In Japanese Utility Model Kokoku Publication No. Hei. 1-44062 and Japanese Utility Model Kokoku Publication No. Hei. 3-61873, there is disclosed a fishing reel including a typical fishline parallel winding device which is used to wind a fishline uniformly around a spool supported between the two side plates of a reel main body. The fishline parallel winding device disclosed in these publications includes a traverse shaft supported rotatably between the two side plates of a reel main body and including a traverse groove, a fishline guide member slidably supported on a support shaft arranged in parallel to the traverse shaft for guiding a fishline from the spool, and an engaging member provided in the fishline guide member and engageable with the traverse groove.
A gear meshable with a drive gear mounted on a handle shaft is mounted on the end portion of the traverse shaft and, if the handle shaft is rotated, then the traverse shaft is rotated. In response to the rotation of the traverse shaft, the fishline guide member reciprocates along the support shaft through the engaging member in engagement with the traverse groove to thereby wind the fishline uniformly around the spool.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional fishline parallel winding device, since the fishline parallel winding device including the fishline guide member, traverse shaft and the like as well as the handle shaft on which a reverse rotation preventive mechanism and a drag mechanism are mounted are disposed intensively between the two side plates at a location forwardly of the spool, there is required a large space in the front portion of the spool. Due to this, the reel main body and fishline winding device are increased in size as well as the reel is worsened in balance as a whole.
Further, when the fishline is wound around the spool, since the fishline containing therein a large amount of seawater, sand, dust and the like is guided to the spool through a guide hole formed in the fishline guide member, the seawater, sand, dust and the like are easy to adhere to the traverse shaft, the sliding portion of the fishline guide member and the like provided in the fishline parallel winding device. This raises several problems: that is, the fishline guide member cannot slide and reciprocate smoothly along the support shaft; the engagement between the traverse groove and engaging member is not stabilized; the fishline parallel winding device is inferior in durability and strength; the fishline guide member is easy to corrode so that it cannot reciprocate and slide; and the like.